Metal crate



' May 8, 1928.

W. F.` SCHULZ METAL CRATE Filed Jan. 4, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n 0 mann ff m31 K 2(7' /0 2 7 2/ 26 www Uguu /7 2/ 25 May 8, 1928.

W. F. SCHULZ METAL CRATE Filed Jan. 4, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet invento/o btoz new l"Patented May 8, 1928.

PATENT oFFlcE,

WALTER SCHULZ, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A'SIGNOR TO TRUSCON STEEL COMPANY,

OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN. l

a METALv CRATE..

f Application inea January The presentl invention relates to metal crates for sheet material, particularly lfor paper. .Y

Among the objects'of the invention is a crate .for snch materials that will afford better protection than the packages heretofore used.'

Another object is a crate of the kind indicated which will admit of handling with greater facility and yet hold a larger amount of the material than has been customary.

Still another object is to reduce the cost of packing such materials for shipment.

Heretofore, in shipping certain grades of paper in sheets it has been custon'iary to pack the sheets in wooden boxes and because of the weight of the contentsl such boxes necessarily have to be carefully and strongly constructed and. if mnch'paper is put into a single package, it is awkward and diflicnlt to handle.

The present invention is intended to overcome these and other objections and com sists broadly in a crate composed of stiffened metal plates between which a Stack of the sheets may be placed and securely held by bolting the plates tightly together.

Reference should be made to the accom panying drawings, in which:-

Fg. 1 is a side elevation of the crate;

Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof- Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing the construction at one end of a rib; and

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig-6.

As indicated, the preferred form of the crate consists of two sheet metal plates 10, provided with stifening ribs 11Y ofsheet metal formed to trough-like shape, inverted onthe plates and arranged in parallel relation as shown in Fig. 2. These ribs are preferably welded along the flanged edges 12 to the plates 10 and are somewhat shorter than the Width' of the-latter.

In addition to ther-ibs for stiifening the plates laterally. a Z-bar 15 is placedalong the longitudinal 'edges o f the plates wltli its upper flange 16 resting on the ribs 11 and alf/192e. serial No. 79,153.

its lower flange 17 resting' onthe margins of plates ll0 with ,the web preferably Welded to the ends of the ribs as at 15il and the flanges to the parts with which they contact.' Further-the edges of flanges 17 and plates 1() are preferably turned up as indicated at 18. f Y

As already mentioned, the plates areA secured together to form the crate by IneansGO of rods 20,` threaded at both ends for nuts 21 and the latter press against the flanges 17 Aof the -Z'bars, preferably with an intervening washer'or plate 22.

In order to permit removal and insertion of the rodsl 20, it is preferred to 'notch the edges of plates 10 and flanges 17 as at 25 and to reinforce the Z-bars on either side of the notches with a corner rib 26. while holes 27 in the Z-bars facilitate handling by allowing the use of hooks.

In the use of the device the sheets are, of course, clamped between plates 10 by means of the rods 2() and after removal of the contents, the plates may be packed in a comparatively small space and returned to the shipper if desired.

Ha-ving now described the preferred form 4of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that said invention is not to be limited to the specific details herein described and shown but only by the scope of ,the claims which follow.

Claims: a

`1. A crate for sheet material consisting of av pair of metal plates having stiffening ribs extending 'across one side and substantially smooth on the other and meansfor securing said plates together.

2. A crate for sheet material consisting of a pair of metal plates forming a to and bottom o f said crate, means for sti ening said plates crosswise and endwise. and means for drawing said plates together. to thereby clamp between them the sheets of material forming the load.

3. A crate for sheet materialconsisting ofa pair of metal plates forming a top and bottom of saidcratc, means .for stiening said plates crosswise and endwise, said endwise stiening means being located along and reinforcing the longitudinal edges of the plates, and means for drawing said plates together to thereby clamp between them the sheets of material forming the load.

4:. A'crate for sheet material including a 5 plate, smooth on one side and provided with a plurality of hollow Cross ribs on the otliei` side7 a Z-bar longitudinally arranged on said plate with its upper flange secured to the top of said ribs and its lower flange secured to the edge ot said plate. said latter flange and plate edge having openings 'for the passage of bolts or the like.` and corner ribs in said Z-lmr adjavent said openings.

WALTER F. SCHULZ. 

